Something Punderful
by pandorabox82
Summary: Serena's come back home to Holby and finds that someone keeps leaving notes for her in order to make her smile. And while she's 99% certain it's Bernie, there are others there who want to see her smile, too...


"Cell phone batteries are like your mitochondria because they are the powerhouse of your cell," Serena read from the piece of paper she'd picked up off her desk. The writing looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it with complete certainty. Still, the terrible pun made her smile, something she was grateful for on a horrid day like today, and she slipped the paper into her pocket before going out onto the ward to do her rounds.

It was a surprise to see Doctor Copeland shadowing Bernie, but there had been a number of changes made in her absence, so she assumed that was one of them. "Good morning, Ms. Campbell. How are you doing?"

"About as well as can be expected," she replied, returning his smile shyly. "Are you down here permanently, then?"

"I wish! Bernie, here, didn't want to leave the ward today, so I'm here visiting. It is so good to see you back, though." His smile widened, and Serena tried not to burst into tears as he stepped forward to give her a quick hug. "All right, maybe I had an alternative reason to be down here today, but that excuse sounds better to Henrik in the long run."

Another change she had missed, and a part of her wondered just how much she had missed whilst she was gone. "Are you two…?"

"Kind of," he replied as he stepped back to look at her. "We're trying to keep things quiet, given his position, but when we find the right position, it's so hard to keep quiet."

Serena clapped a hand over her mouth in order to keep her giggles from being too loud, though Bernie appeared to not be as tickled as she was. "Dom! He is still our boss!"

"I know, Bernie. It's just good to hear this one laugh once more. I will not apologise for any mental pictures you might have now."

The smirk he gave her partner completely did her in, and Serena let go of her control, breaking down in a complete gale of laughter. Dom soon joined in, his hand coming to rest on her upper arm as they continued laughing. "I take it I missed the punchline?"

Serena turned her head to see Henrik standing there, a bemused smile dancing around his lips. "Maybe," she managed to gasp out before trying to regain some semblance of control back over herself. His smile broadened a little as Dom also looked his way, and Serena caught the tiny wink they exchanged. "What brings you down here?" Serena asked as she stepped closer to Bernie.

"I was just doing my rounds of the wards, making certain that everything is running smoothly. Speaking of which, you are needed on Keller, Doctor Copeland."

"Yes, Mister Hanssen." Again, a tiny, electric, look passed between the two, and Serena covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her smile. Morven passed by, headed for their office, and Bernie stepped away to follow after her. "Well, make certain you snag Bernie before the end of shift and tell her that first round is on me tonight. I want stories!"

Henrik cleared his throat a little, and Serena blushed a little. "I'm certain that Ms Campbell will want to head right home after her first shift back, don't you?"

"Actually, drinks sound amazing. We should be to Albie's by six, I think." Dom grinned and nodded before making his way over to the lift. "Really, Henrik, I'm going to want stories, too. Will you join us?"

There was a long pause before he drew in a deep breath. "I suppose that I might be able to clear my schedule for a drink or two. After all, Doctor Copeland is buying."

"And we never look a gift drink in the mouth!"

"Too right." Some of the mirth left his face as he regarded her. "Speaking in a purely personal capacity here, Serena, it is so good to have you back."

"It's good to be back. I hope that I haven't missed too much. Bernie hasn't really brought much to the bedroom."

A tiny blush bloomed on his cheeks as he looked away from her. "You'll find yourself fitting back into the rhythm of things here quickly enough. That, at least, hasn't changed." She smiled and nodded, tugging on her blouse a little before taking a look around the ward. "I'll just leave you to it, then."

"Thanks, Henrik," she murmured as she headed over to Fletch's side, feeling like she was finally ready to start her day.

A few hours and one elective surgery later, Serena was finally returning to her office and sinking down behind her desk, a coffee cup in hand. Groaning a little, she stretched her back before bending down and rummaging through her bag, searching for her lunch. Finally, her hand grabbed hold of the container, and she sat up and set about eating, only to find another scrap of paper on her keyboard.

"Do you play Quidditch? Cause I think you are a keeper!" She was unable to keep from rolling her eyes as she slipped the paper into her pocket. Again, the writing was familiar, but she was almost certain it wasn't Bernie's, and she was the only one who she could imagine leaving her such a cheesy, cheeky, note. Scoffing a little, she picked up half of her peanut butter sandwich and took a large bite before starting to work through the backlog of paperwork that Bernie had managed to put off.

A light laugh caught her attention, and she looked up to see Bernie taking a seat at her desk, looking carefree and happy. "Why that frown, darling?"

Serena shook her head a little as she smiled. "You seem to leave me with all the paperwork, as usual. This is at least three days' backlog."

"I got busy! And it's not like I wanted to leave late, knowing that I was coming home to you every night. So, I let a few things slide."

"You know the NHS doesn't like that."

"Well, the NHS can go stuff themselves, I had a beautiful partner waiting for me." Bernie smirked before winking at her and pulling out her own lunch. "But now that I'm here, I can finish working on that. Work on your own cases."

"There's not much for me to work on. Fletch and Morven keep directing the more serious cases to Raf or you, and I was lucky to pick up that elective surgery when I did. It's really sweet, but I can deal with a normal workload."

"They just don't want to overwhelm you," Bernie said, a tinge of guilt in her voice. "I'll tell them to ease off the lunge line a little."

"I'm not an untamed horse!"

"Oh, but you buck like one beneath me when I tease you just right." They both gasped as Bernie realized just what she had said in their very public office, and for the second time that day, Serena clapped her hand over her mouth in order to hold her laughter back. "Serena! This is not funny! What if Fletch overheard? It would be all over the hospital in an hour!"

"Oh, you think it would take that long, Bernie?" They looked up to see said man in the doorway, a grin plastered on his lips, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back and regarded them. "Given the current state of the rumor mill, I would say that this would take about twenty five minutes, tops. Everyone seems to be clamoring for news of you, Serena."

Her smile grew a little wider as she leaned back in her chair. "I hope that you're only passing on things like I'm still the demanding taskmaster who makes children cry if they look at her the wrong way?"

"Serena!" She glanced over at Bernie and arched an eyebrow before winking. Bernie just shook her head before standing and coming over to her side, sitting on her desk before reaching out for her hand. Serena easily took hold of it, threading their fingers together as they both stared at Fletch. "You can tell the gossip mill that Serena is back, in charge, and anyone who even thinks about poking the bull will get the horns!"

"Who's the horny one?" Serena shot back quickly, only to realise exactly what she said when Bernie smacked her shoulder and Fletch started to laugh once more. "I have to watch my mouth!"

"Oh, I know a fair few people who watch your mouth, Ms Campbell," Fletch said as he smirked. "But, I do need you for a consult, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Fletch. Bernie here will just use the rest of her lunch to finish our paperwork. Won't you, darling?" she drawled, watching her partner roll her eyes a little before she nodded. "Remember, if we don't see each other beforehand, drinks at Albie's."

"Yes, darling." Bernie leaned over and pecked her cheek lightly. "Now go, so I'm not distracted any longer." Serena nodded as she stood up, going over to Fletch's side, letting him guide her out into the ward once more.

The rest of her shift fairly flew by, and she made certain to wave to Bernie every time they passed each other. At the close of the day, though, she was quite happy to slip into their office and pack up her bag with things to bring home and work on. As she went to power down her computer, she noticed a third note there on her keyboard, and she picked it up, already grinning at the thought of reading another terrible pun. "I live in a country made up of people who put things off. A procrasti-nation, if you will."

Those words pushed her over from being ninety nine percent to one hundred percent certain that Bernie had been leaving these notes, try though she might to conceal her handwriting. And it was sweet, really, how her partner had tried to make her day that much better. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Yes, Bernie." Slipping the note in with the others, she slipped on her light jacket and then slung her bag over her shoulder. "Shall we?" Holding out her hand to her partner, Serena looked at Bernie expectantly, some of the tension easing from her shoulders when Bernie's hand slipped into hers, squeezing warmly as they left the office and made their way over to the lifts.

"See you tomorrow!" Fletch called out as he placed another chart into the filing box, grinning at them.

"And I will be certain to keep you on your toes, Nurse Fletcher. Give Evie my love."

"Will do," he replied as they stepped onto the lift. As it went down, Serena ran her thumb across the back of Bernie's hand, humming a happy song beneath her breath.

"So, how was your day?"

She turned her face up to look at Bernie, gently smiling. "It was wonderful. I even have a secret admirer."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Thing is, she only leaves me terrible puns that make me grin like an idiot nonetheless. I wonder who that could be?"

Bernie shrugged a little as the lift doors opened, tugging Serena after her as she exited. "I have no clue, darling."

"My sweet arse, no clue," she muttered lovingly as they made the quick walk over to the bar. Dom had already claimed a table for them in the corner, and she went to take a seat across from him when he shook his head and patted the seat next to him. She glanced at Bernie before shrugging and taking a seat, getting thoroughly comfortable in her chair as Dom handed her a glass of wine. "Shiraz?"

"As if I would get you anything different. I know exactly what you like." He smirked a little before lifting his glass to his lips. "Henrik's getting whiskey for you, Bernie. I couldn't remember exactly what you like, but luckily, he has the memory of an elephant."

"Yes, that is very good for you, isn't it, Dominic?" The soft drawl made Serena smile all the wider. It was the happiest she had heard the man in a long time, and a part of her was so grateful to know that he might have found love at this point in his life. "Now, we are not going to talk shop tonight. Serena deserves to have a night off, on her first day back."

"Thank you, Henrik." She smiled before taking a sip of her wine. "So, Berenice, I do have a joke for you."

"Really?"

"Yes. It was going to be a chemistry joke, but I knew that I wouldn't get a reaction out of you lot." Dom was the first to laugh, and even Henrik let out a small chuckle, but all Bernie could do was gape at her as she took another sip of her wine.

"How did you figure me out?"

"Only one person would possibly think to make my day brighter with terrible puns, darling. But it was super sweet that you went to the effort of disguising your writing." Serena set aside her glass as she brought one knee up to her chest, hugging it tightly as she rested her cheek on said knee, watching Bernie intently. Their gazes turned heated, and she had to look away before things got too out of control. "Henrik, please tell me that I am going to have a few more surgeries tomorrow. Whilst I appreciate the lighter workload for one day, I'm not certain I could handle it for much longer."

The man nodded. "That was the plan, Serena. I was just lulling you back into the swing of things with an easy day. Tomorrow, though, your name is high on the list, since Ms Wolfe will be focusing entirely on trauma and catching up on her paperwork."

Bernie sputtered a little as she turned her head to look at him. "How do you know these things?"

"I know everything. So much so that I could be considered Holby's answer to Google."

Serena giggled a little as she drank a little more wine, feeling a soft, comfortable, joy fill her body as she sat there with her friends. Bernie met her eye, giving her a little smile. "You really do have a quick answer for everything, Henrik," Dom said as he reached out and patted Serena's shoulder lightly. "It goes along with his quick tongue," he teased in an exaggerated stage whisper.

She giggled even harder as she nodded, shooting a quick glance at Bernie before looking back at Dom. "Bernie's tongue is just as swift. And probably just as delicious." Dom's mouth dropped open as he looked between her and Bernie. "What?"

"Nothing. Not going to touch that one with a ten foot pole," he replied quickly. Bernie's cheeks burned brightly, and Serena licked her lips a little before sipping at her wine once more, finally finishing the glass. "Can I get you another glass?"

"Perhaps something lighter this time. A nice glass of water, or soda, perhaps?"

He nodded as he got up, ambling up to the bar. Serena sighed as she settled even further back in the chair. Bernie nodded her head a little as she finished her whiskey, setting the glass aside before getting up and taking Dom's seat, scooting it closer to Serena. "So, today?"

"Was something punderful, darling. Thank you for making my first day back such a pleasure." Their hands met, and she interlaced their fingers as Dom came back with her water, giving them a slightly miffed look before settling next Henrik, an easy conversation starting between them as the night went on, their camaraderie making Serena feel like she had truly come home.


End file.
